Breckenridge Slang

Sometimes, it seems as if Breckenridge has a language all its own. Truth be told, it does. Breckenridge lingo is an amalgam of ski and snowboard terms, mountain biking jargon, 20-something slang, and mountain dweller dialect, sprinkled liberally with common, everyday English. Plus, with some 300 inches of snowfall a year, Breckenridge slang includes plenty of snow-related terms. Breckenridge local lingo could easily sound confusing, and while it's not the end of the world if you don't understand a word the snowboarders are saying, knowing a few of the more common terms can't hurt. That way, when someone tells you he "caught big air on an epic run down Lower Boneyard in pow pow," or something similar, you won't stare back blankly!

General Terms

1. Air: To become airborne intentionally. You might "get air," "catch air," or even "catch big air" if you're off the ground for a while.

2. Blood-bucket: Breckenridge slang for the ski patrol toboggan.

3. Brain bucket: A helmet. Protect those gray cells.

4. Breck: Breckenridge slang for... Breckenridge. Duh.

5. Breckenridgers: Breckenridge slang for local residents.

6. Dew Tour: An annual December winter athletics exhibition, with freeskiing (slopestyle and superpipe) and snowboarding (slopestyle and superpipe).

12. Gold Run: In Breckenridge lingo, this is the Nordic (cross-country) ski area. It doubles as the golf course during the summer months.

13. Grind: When a skier or snowboarder hops up onto a vertical wall or railing and rides along the top of it.

14. Huck: To jump off of something, such as a rail or a wall.

15. Jib: Snowboarding term that means to jump on or over something, such as logs, barrels, walls – whatever is handy.

16. Liftie: The ski lift, or the lift operator.

17. Massive: In Breckenridge local lingo, the annual April spring festival that celebrates the end of the ski season. Includes a beer festival, ski races, mountaineering competition, mountain biking race and free concerts.

18. Park Rat: Usually affectionate term for a boarder or skier who stays at the park, all day, every day. Think mall rat, on a snowboard.

19. Poach: To ski on terrain that is officially out of bounds. A major no-no. Your lift ticket can be confiscated for this. Still, skiing on virgin pow pow is... sick.

20. Sick: Awesome, epic.

21. Shred: To ski or snowboard, usually expertly.

22. Steez: Style. Developed as a compliment to a snowboarder's skill, but now refers to personal style and clothing choices as well. Steezy threads include tall tees, baggy pants and snowboard logo wear.

23. Superpipe: A large half-pipe-shaped structure used by snowboarders and freeskiers in the quest for ever more epic stunts.

24. Touron: A tourist who is a moron. Breckenridge slang coined by frustrated locals and regulars who sometimes feel overrun by gapers.

25. Ullympics: Breckenridge lingo for one of the events of the annual January Ullr Fest. The competition involves three team events, the highlight of which is the frying pan toss.

26. Yard sale: A major crash where all your gear is scattered about, like a yard sale. Poles here, goggles over there, one ski next to that tree, one ski a few feet from the goggles ...

Kinds of Snow

1. Corn: Small frozen pellets, good for skiing. Similar to "grapple," (see below) with a finer grain.